Virginia Middle Schools Prepare for March 4 Science Bowl

Twenty teams to converge on Jefferson Lab for Academic Competition

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Some of Virginia’s brightest young minds will meet next weekend at the U.S. Department of Energy's Jefferson Lab to see if they have what it takes to be Science Bowl Champion. The National Science Bowl® – sponsored by the Department of Energy’s Office of Science – is an annual academic competition among teams of four or five students.

Registered teams from across the Commonwealth will compete at the Virginia Regional Middle School Science Bowl on Saturday, March 4 at Jefferson Lab. The winning team will then represent Virginia at the National Science Bowl® finals later this year. Teams from 20 schools are registered for this year's competition.

“Participation in the National Science Bowl® encourages students to more deeply explore the fields of math and science outside of the classroom,” notes Jefferson Lab Science Education Administrator, Christine Wheeler. “This helps them to excel academically, prepares them for high school coursework, and makes them aware of career opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).”

Since the inception of the National Science Bowl®, approximately 265,000 students have participated in regional tournaments around the country. The teams face off in an intense question-and-answer format where contestants are quizzed on their knowledge of math and a range of science disciplines, including Earth, general, life and physical sciences.

The top three teams from the March 4 tournament will earn cash prizes and team trophies for their respective schools. The top team also wins an expenses-paid trip to the National Science Bowl® finals to be held in Washington, D.C., April 27 – May 1.

“Holding this event at Jefferson Lab provides the students with the opportunity to interact with the Jefferson Lab staff – scientists, engineers, technicians and administrators – who volunteer to conduct the event. These interactions provide students with insight into the exciting careers and research opportunities made possible by pursuing a DOE-related career,” Wheeler adds. “Events like this help lay the groundwork for the nation’s future researchers, engineers and innovators.”

The afternoon semi-final and final rounds beginning at 12:45 p.m. in the CEBAF Center auditorium, located at 12000 Jefferson Ave., will be open to the public. Seating in the auditorium is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. People arriving once capacity has been reached will be turned away. All those under age 16 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult. Everyone over 16 is asked to carry a valid photo ID. Security guards may perform ID, parcel and vehicle checks.

Virginia schools registered for the competition include (in alphabetical order):

Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, a joint venture of the Southeastern Universities Research Association, Inc. and PAE Applied Technologies, manages and operates the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, or Jefferson Lab, for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit science.energy.gov.